mcfarlin



Patented June 2, 1931 NETE@ STATES GERALD H. MCFARLIN,

PATENT OFFICE FIXTURE -TILE Application led October 15, 1929. Serial No. 399,818'.

This invention has to do with fixture tile of the class described in my co-pending application, Serial No. 328,442, which was filed on December 26, 1928. Tile of this character is :L especially adapted for use in the construction of store counters, panels and the like.

The tile disclosed in my copending application mentioned above comprises a fiat ceramic plate, having a finished front surface 115 and provided with a basal flange, which is equipped with notches adapted to receive mechanical attaching means.

These tiles are adapted to be attached to a wood or other suitable supporting member 5 by means of nails or screws, and the heads of the attaching means are covered by the pointing which is placed between the tiles.

I have found in the manufacture and use of tile such as disclosed in my co-pending application that the basal flange is frequently marred or broken during storage and shipment and that extreme care must be used in attaching the tile to the supporting member to guard against injuring the flange or eX- tending ears during such attachment.

It is a primary object, therefore, of this invention to produce a tile of the class described, which is equipped with projecting ears of a non-frangible character, which will not be injured during storage and shipment and which cannot be broken by the nails or screws used in attaching the tile to the supporting member. Such non-frangible exw tending ears, in a preferred form of my A1n- (Oi vention, comprise projections which are formed upon a metal plate attached to the back surface of the tile.

It would, no doubt, appear on first thought that the simplest manner of manufacturing to tile of this character would be to cast the individual tile with the metal plates or metal plated by this invention includes the steps of casting the tile with a recessed back p0rtion. The cast tile is then burned in the usual manner, and afterbeing taken fromthe kiln, a properly formed back plate is placed in the recess on the back portion of the btile and is attached thereto by means of cement or glue. I consider it preferable, in order to have a proper bond between the plate and the tile, to provide the plate with a plurality of apertures through which the cementing material will extend, and the recess is made of such depth that the cementing material will cover the plate and hold the same securely upon the tile.

A tilel of this character is much lighter than the ordinary ceramic tile, the extending ears on the attaching plate cannot be broken, and thev individual tile units can be readily attached to a suitable supporting member.

The details in the construction of a preferred form of my invention, together with other objects attending its production, will be best understood from the following descript-ion of the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. l is a perspective view of a counter formed of tile units such as are contemplated by this invention.

Fig. 2 is a partial elevation, having parte breken away, to show the manner of building up a fixture tile unit of the class described above. Y

Fig. 3 is a plan section which may be considered as having been taken in the plane represented by the line 8 3 in Fig. 2.

Fig. 4c is an inverted plan view, showing the back of a preferred form of tile contemplated by this invention, prior to the placement of a securing plate therein.

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4, illustrating the manner in which the securing plate is provided upon the back of the tile.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view, which may be considered as having been taken in a plane represented by line 6 6 in Fig. 4, and

Fig. 7 is a sectional view, which may be consideredvas having been taken in a plane represented by the line 7-7 in Fig. 5, and

illustrates the manner in Which the securing plate is cemented to the back of the tile.

More particularly describing the invention as herein illustrated, reference numeral 11 indicates a counter which is faced with individual tile unit-s indicated by reference numerals 12 and 12. Fig. 2 illustrates the manner in which the tile units 12 are attached to a supporting member 13.

The supporting member 13 is shown as being composed of plyboard, but it will be understood, of course, that any other suitable material, such as compoboard or the like. may be substituted for the plyboard.

The tile units 12 are shown as being provided with outvfardly extending non-frangible projecting ears 14. by means of which the tiles are attached to the plyboard through the medium of nails or screws 15, which eX- tend through suitable apertures 15 formed in the projecting ears. After the individual units have been attached to the supporting member 13, as indicated at A in Fig. 2, the ears 1.4 are covered with pointing` in the manner indicated at B in Fia'. 2. Figs. 3 to 7, inclusive, most clearly illustrate the manner in which the individual tile members are formed.

lt will be noted in 4 that the back portion 17 of the tile 12 is recessed, as indicated at 18. In this particular form of tile, the recess is shown as being in the form of a cross, which is adapted to receive a non-frangible plate, preferably metal, indicated by reference numeral 19.

The projecting ears 14 are shown as being formed integrally7 with the plate 19, and the plate 19 is shown as being provided with a plurality of apertures, indicated at 20 and 20, which permit the cement or binding ma terial indicated at 21 to extend through the plate 19 and engage the back portion of the tile, forming a rigid bond between the tile and the securing member.

For the purpose of addingi to the security of the plate 19 upon the tile 12, I provide the edges of the recesses 18 with upwardly converging` shoulders,,indicated by reference numeral 22. 1t Will be apparent from the above description that the article of manufacture contemplated by this invention comprises a tile which is provided with outwardly extending ears of non-frangible character, and that such ears are held rigidly upon the tile and that the manner of manufacturing the tile makes it possible to construct the same vWithout endangering either the securing' member or the ceramic portion of the tile.

It is to be understood that, While I have herein described and illustrated one preferred form of the invention, the invention is 'not limited to the precise construction set forth above, but includes Within its scope Whatever changes fairly come Within the spirit of the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. Anarticle of manufacture comprising: a fixture tile having a recessed back surface; a non-frangible apertured plate mounted in said recess; and means, comprising cement, partially covering said plate and extending through the apertures therein for securing said plate to said tile, said plate having projections extending beyond the edges of said tile and adapted to receive mechanical securing means.

2. An article of manufacture comprising: a fixture tile havingr a recess on the back thereof, said recess having` undercut edges; a nonfrangible apertured plate mounted in said recesses; and means comprising cement eX tending into said undercut edge and through the apertures in said plate for securing the plate to the tile, said plate having projections extending` beyond the edges of said tile for securing' saidtile to a supporting means.

In testimony7 whereof, I have hereunto set my hand at Los Angles, California, this 8th day of October, 1929.

GERALD H. MCFARLIN. 

